The present disclosure relates generally to automated dishwashers, and relates more particularly to arrangements for connecting a door to a dishwasher so that the door can pivot about a horizontal pivot axis.
An automated dishwasher typically has a molded plastic tub having an open front side that is closed by a door that pivots about a horizontal pivot axis located adjacent the lower edge of the door. Various mechanisms have been devised over the years for pivotally connecting the door to the fixed structure of the dishwasher. In most cases, a pair of hinge plates are affixed to the frame in which the tub is supported. Each hinge plate has a portion defining a generally circular aperture. Hinge pins are secured to opposite side edges of the door proximate its lower edge, and the hinge pins are engaged in the apertures so that the door can pivot about the pivot axis defined by the apertures. A drawback of this design is that the tub-to-frame tolerances and the frame-to-hinge plate tolerances, in terms of positioning of the door and its pivot axis, can be additive. This can lead to unacceptably large variability in the location of the door and its pivot axis relative to the tub, which can result in problems such as looseness or “wobble” of the door, as well as poor sealing between the door and the tub when the door is closed for washing.